In Freedom's Cause : a Story of Wallace and Bruce eBook

“The king’s chancellor declared that there
was nothing in these objections to Edward’s
claim, and therefore he resolved, as lord paramount,
to determine the question of succession. The various
competitors were asked whether they acknowledged Edward
as lord paramount, and were willing to receive his
judgment as such; and the whole of these wretched
traitors proceeded to barter their country for their
hopes of a crown, acknowledged Edward as lord paramount,
and left the judgment in his hands.

“Bruce and Baliol received handsome presents
for thus tamely yielding the rights of Scotland.
All present at once agreed that the castles and strongholds
of Scotland should be surrendered into the hands of
English commanders and garrisons. This was immediately
done; and thus it is, Archie, that you see an English
officer lording it over the Scotch town of Lanark.

“Then every Scotchman was called upon to do
homage to the English king as his lord paramount,
and all who refused to do so were seized and arrested.
Finally, on the 17th of November last, 1292 —­
the date will long be remembered in Scotland —­
Edward’s judgment was given at Berwick, and
by it John Baliol was declared King of Scotland.

“Thus for eighteen months Scotland was kept
in doubt; and this was done, no doubt, to enable the
English to rivet their yoke upon our shoulders, and
to intimidate and coerce all who might oppose it.”

“There were some that did oppose it, mother,
were there not? —­ some true Scotchmen who
refused to own the supremacy of the King of England?”

“Very few, Archie. One Sir Malcolm Wallace,
a knight of but small estate, refused to do so, and
was, together with his eldest son, slain in an encounter
with an English detachment under a leader named Fenwick
at Loudon Hill.”

“And was he the father of that William Wallace
of whom the talk was lately that he had slain young
Selbye, son of the English governor of Dundee?”

“The same, Archie.”

“Men say, mother, that although but eighteen
years of age he is of great stature and strength,
of very handsome presence, and courteous and gentle;
and that he was going quietly through the streets when
insulted by young Selbye, and that he and his companions
being set upon by the English soldiers, slew several
and made their escape.”

“So they say, Archie. He appears from all
description of him to be a remarkable young man, and
I trust that he will escape the vengeance of the English,
and that some day he may again strike some blows for
our poor Scotland, which, though nominally under the
rule of Baliol, is now but a province of England.”

“But surely, mother, Scotchmen will never remain
in such a state of shameful servitude!”

“I trust not, my son; but I fear that it will
be long before we shake off the English yoke.
Our nobles are for the most part of Norman blood;
very many are barons of England; and so great are the
jealousies among them that no general effort against
England will be possible. No, if Scotland is
ever to be freed, it will be by a mighty rising of
the common people, and even then the struggle between
the commons of Scotland and the whole force of England
aided by the feudal power of all the great Scotch
nobles, would be well nigh hopeless.”